Power Rangers: Mystic Force: Alternate Force
by Maleficent-darkgoodwitch2416
Summary: What if Nick was never adopted, and instead was put into foster care? How will Udonna and Leanbow react when they learn this? How will Nick react when he learns who his parents really are? Will he convince them to reclaim him as their son and regain custody of him?
1. Prologue

_Power Rangers: Mystic Force: Alternate Force_

Nick groaned as he neared Briarwood—another new town, another new family. How many different families would he go through before someone decided they wanted him—and not a child of their own? He pushed his bike into town and began fixing it. Later, he figured he should probably go through his clothes and see what still fit and what was still wearable and see if he could get a job to get some new clothes.

Only thing had stayed with him throughout his childhood—and that was his baby blanket. Somewhere, out there, were his real parents and somehow, someway, someday, he would find them and they would take him back and he'd never have to worry about being sent away in favor of a child of their own, because he was _their_ child.

He closed his eyes and held back the tears that threatened to fall and he remembered why he never bothered to actually check to make sure his clothes still fit—he never unpacked because he never knew when he'd go through the 'We're really sorry, Nick, but we've decided that we want to try to have our own child. We hope you understand' conversation and after the first fifty families, he'd given up on unpacking or staying anywhere for long. He reached over and grabbed his baby blanket and squeezed it carefully—every time after that conversation, he would curl up with his baby blanket and cry.

Four people who could have been his friends, ended up becoming the Mystic Force, but he knew it wasn't for him.

Madison asked, "Don't you have parents?"

Nick grinned and said, "You are _nosey_. Yes, I have parents—somewhere. I don't know where they are, but if they don't find me, I'll find them."

Their mentor, a sorceress named Udonna asked, "Are you sure you wish to leave? You are a leader, their leader."

Nick scowled and, staring at his bike, coldly replied, "I'll be leaving soon anyway. I might as well as get it over and done with."

Udonna frowned, as she detected a hint of pain in his tone. She nodded and fixed his bike.

He turned to leave and then, as he rode off, he had a vision of the others in danger. He raced back and attacked Koragg.

"Now's a good time as any to start believing in magic," he muttered to himself.

"I do believe in magic!" he yelled, sending Koragg flying backwards.

He soon defeated Koragg's forces and the group all returned to the Rock Porium, where Nick got a job.

After everyone else was gone, Nick shuffled alone to his foster family's home—not his home.

"Hi, Nick," six other kids ran up to him, waving excitedly at him.

Nick waved to each of the kids and herded them inside, where Mr. and Mrs. Lennox were waiting.

"Hello, Nick," Mrs. Lennox greeted him.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Lennox," Nick answered robotically.

That night, as he slept, Nick wished with all his might that he'd find his real parents—and soon.


	2. Life As A Ranger

The next morning, Nick climbed out of bed and silently dressed. As he ate, Mrs. Lennox said, "I have to go to work early. Nick, I need you to take Samantha, Rose, Erin, Jessica, Jacob, and James to daycare. It's a few miles away—within walking distance from here, OK?"

"Sure, Mrs. Lennox," Nick replied. He just had to make sure to not get too close to his "siblings". They never stayed the same.

Nick packed a quick lunch for himself and grabbed the cooler of the younger kids' lunches. "Alright, is everyone ready?" he asked.

Nick pulled out his morpher and checked it for any missed calls or messages.

"Is everyone ready?" he repeated.

They nodded. "Alright, everyone hold each other's hands," Nick ordered, grabbing onto Samantha's hand.

The seven kids all went to the daycare center where Nick handed Samantha the cooler of lunches and told them to behave and stay out of trouble.

Nick then raced to Rootcore where he met up with the others. They swiftly mounted the Mystic Racers and raced through the forest. "Later!" Nick passed the others.

They scowled and whizzed by Clare. "Hi Clare! Bye Clare!" the group yelled as they passed her.

"Sorry!" Nick yelled as he passed the sorceress-in-training, who scowled, and muttered, "We need traffic lights out here."

The team began earning new spell codes later that day and also began to trust each other slowly, but Madison secretly wondered, _how—or would that be why—was Nick so powerful? Like, how did he bond with Catastros and how did he know what spell would send Morticon back to the Underworld?_

As time went on, Nick grew to love Briarwood as his home, but he knew it wouldn't last.


	3. Life As A Ranger II

As the weeks passed, Nick's life fell into a steady rhythm. He was even beginning to think about actually unpacking for once.

One morning, he quickly ate and then headed out the door. After dropping his three sisters and three brothers off at daycare, he hurried to the Rock Porium and then was greeted by the rest of the team.

"Hey, Nick," Vida called from behind the turntables at the back of the store.

Nick waved. Chip grinned and, pointing a plunger at his new friend, said, "I say there, most incredulous fellow, you're standing in my moat. You will most likely be devoured by a crocodile."

Nick raised his eyebrows and asked, "Saltwater or freshwater croc?"

Chip hesitated and answered, "Uh… freshwater, I think."

Nick grinned and flipped the plunger away from Chip before answering, "Oh, then it is my lucky day, for I know firsthand that it's the saltwater croc that is more dangerous to man. So I'll just swim on through."

Chip blinked and everyone exchanged glances—how would Nick know that?

Their morphers went off and they all hurried to Rootcore for training.


	4. Telling the Others

After arriving, Xander mentioned something about never meeting any of Nick's family. "So, when can we meet your family?" Xander asked, off-handedly.

Nick froze and blurted out, "You can't."

"Why not?" Vida asked, glaring at the Red Ranger.

"I can't tell you," he explained, feeling very embarrassed about being stuck in foster care.

Chip frowned and Madison said, "Guys, give him time. He'll tell us _why_ when he's ready. Not before."

Then Chip murmured, "Koragg."

Their new teacher, Daggeron, frowned. "What are you talking about, Chip?" Daggeron asked.

"If Nick won't tell us why, Koragg can," Chip explained.

"Don't we have that family tree and family hero projects for school due next Tuesday?" Madison asked.

Vida and the others nodded. "How's everyone else doing?" Xander asked. "Did anyone finish the family tree part of the project?"

Vida, Madison, Chip, and Xander all nodded that they had finished the family tree. "What about you, Nick?" Madison asked, carefully.

"Haven't started," he snapped, scowling.

The others looked at each other. "It's due next week!" Vida yelled.

Nick scowled and snarled, "Alright, you want to know why you've never met my family?! Because I don't know where they are! I can't do either of the projects because I'm in foster care! You guys all know who's in your families but I don't know anything about mine! When I leave Rootcore and go back to the city, I'll be living with people who aren't my family!"

Udonna joined the group and said, "You don't have to be related to someone to be family."

Everyone looked at each other and Nick shrugged. Then he mumbled, "I don't even know where to start—on either project. I never stuck around with any of the families I'd lived with to learn anything about them."

Udonna rubbed his shoulder and knew that this was what Nick was talking about when he said he might as well get the leaving over and done with. Nick's phone went off and he answered it.


	5. Painfully True Conversations

He nodded silently and mumbled, "On my way."

He shuffled inside Mr. and Mrs. Lennox's house. "Is everything alright? What happened to Samantha, Rose, Erin, Jacob, Jessica, and James?"

"They're still at daycare," Mr. Lennox answered automatically.

Mrs. Lennox took a deep breath. "Nick, I know you've grown to love it here in Briarwood and that's great, however, we—Harry and I—are expecting a child of our own. Since you're the oldest, we're going to help you find an apartment…" she broke off as Nick grabbed his bag and fled the house.

"That went well," Harry commented.

Nick fled into the forest and curled up with his baby blanket and began to cry. Koragg found him and frowned. _What is wrong, Red Wizard?_

**Like you care,** Nick mentally snapped at the Knight.

_Good point,_ Koragg agreed. _But why are you crying in the middle of the forest? Shouldn't you be more—I don't know—composed before your friends show up?_

Nick bit his lip. **You won't tell anyone?**

Koragg nodded and Nick explained **they wanted a child of their own. They always do. No one wants me. I don't even know why I get my hopes up anymore.**

_Are you sure that there isn't anyone who wants you?_ Koragg hesitantly asked.

**There is someone—my birth parents,** Nick thought.

Koragg grinned and replied, _Yes. And the rest of the Mystic Force. Now go join them for the rest of your training, young Wizard._

Nick nodded and rejoined the others, after casting a quick spell that disguised the fact that he'd just been bawling his eyes out again.


	6. Unexpected Help

That evening, Nick shuffled out of work, and saw Koragg standing silently by his bike.

**What do you want?** Nick asked, angrily.

_I want to help you_, Koragg replied.

**Wait, what?** Nick was stunned.

_I want to help you find your parents_, Koragg clarified.

**Why?** Nick asked.

_Do you have any idea how depressing your thoughts are, Red Wizard? They're depressing me! And really, the Blue Witch wants you around in Briarwood, but you need to stop moping about your parents._ Koragg informed the stunned Nick.

Nick nodded and cautiously replied, **Thank you, Koragg. But how?**

_I'll check the future pool for anything about your past, as well as any oracles I can find in the Underworld, _Koragg replied.

**You'll tell me if you find anything?** Nick asked.

Koragg nodded before leaving.

Nick shuffled after Xander, who had offered to let the Red Ranger crash at his place until something more permanent was figured out. Udonna had told Nick that if he couldn't stay at Xander's to just come to Rootcore and stay there—in fact, he could live there if necessary.


	7. Heir Apparent

Every day, Nick would contact Koragg and ask, **Did you find anything?**, only to get the same answer, _I'm sorry. No. Maybe next time I'll be able to give you some more information or maybe even a name or an address. I'm so sorry I haven't found anything yet._

Nick's hopes fell steadily until the Saturday before the projects were due when the rangers were captured and taken to the Underworld. That day was going to change his life forever. It started ordinarily enough—no one could have told him how much that one Saturday would change his life and even if they had—unless it had been Madison, Vida, Chip, Xander, Clare, Daggeron, or Udonna—he would have dismissed them and said they were crazy.

When he woke up, he fixed breakfast—he and Xander agreed they'd alternate who'd make which meals on what days—so if you fixed breakfast, you were also in charge of dinner and the other person would be in charge of lunch and vice versa every other day.

That morning, Chip, Madison, Xander, Vida, and Udonna all watched Nick and Daggeron do some bound-battle training.

After he pinned Nick, Daggeron said, "Sorry, young warrior. Next time I'll take it easy on you."

Nick scowled and replied, "Don't even think about it."

"Why doesn't he use his laser lamp?" Xander asked Udonna.

"In bound-battle training, only swords can be used—and no magic," Udonna answered. "Daggeron is very skilled in this technique."

Daggeron glanced over and added, "Because I was taught by the best. Now Nick is going to be beat—I mean, taught—by the best."

Nick grinned and countered, "I see that humility doesn't set in as one reaches, uh, middle age."

"Ooh," Vida commented.

Udonna and the rest of the team all tried their hardest not to grin.

"Middle age?" Daggeron repeated, shocked.

Nick grinned and tried his best not to snicker.

The two continued with some comments from Vida and Xander.

"Nick's got this one wrapped up," Vida said confidently.

"It's not over yet," Xander pointed out.

Nick managed to get Daggeron's sword, which he promptly returned, grinning at his mentor. "Aw, you had him. Don't give him his sword back," Vida complained.

Nick pinned Daggeron. Daggeron looked up at Nick and said, "Very good, Nick. You took me fair and square and you did it with honor."

"I just got lucky," Nick replied.

"There's no luck here. Your skill is improving," Daggeron replied. Turning to the rest of the team, he continued, "In fact, you all have improved."

"Thanks to you," Madison pointed out.

Chip nodded in agreement. "You were trained by the best and so are we. Maybe one day we'll be as good as Leanbow," he blurted out.

Udonna stared at Chip and then looked at Daggeron, feeling slightly betrayed.

"I'm sorry, Udonna. I told Chip about your husband. He promised not to say a word," Daggeron explained.

"And I didn't—until now," Chip admitted.

Xander glanced at the others and asked, "Someone wanna fill us in?"

"He was a great man, Udonna, a hero. Perhaps it's time they learned about him," Daggeron pressed.

Udonna nodded and said, "Yes, it's time we told you the whole story."

Everyone exchanged stunned glances—_there was more to this story than the war?_

"Before the Great Battle, Leanbow and I lived happily with our baby. His name was Bowen," Udonna began, smiling as she remembered those happier days, as she and Daggeron joined the rangers on the balcony.

Daggeron picked up the story, "Leanbow was my mentor. The forces of evil attacked on all sides and we battled them on all fronts. Leanbow fought bravely, but Morticon and his troops were too strong. We needed a plan, so Leanbow met with Niella and myself."

"Leanbow, there's got to be another way," Niella begged, for the sake of her younger sister and her young nephew.

"You know the Master is deceptive. There's no guarantee you'll make it back alive," Daggeron added.

"I'm going," Leanbow insisted, gazing firmly at his wife and son.

"He always did things his way," Udonna smiled, fondly remembering her husband's recklessness.

"I remember. And it was always the honorable way," Daggeron added. "Then we were joined by someone we _thought_ was our friend."

"Teacher, allow me to fight beside you," Calindor entered the room.

"But I thought Calindor was your enemy," Chip stated, questioningly.

"He is, and having once been a dear friend, it made the betrayal cut all the deeper," Udonna explained, neither her voice nor face betraying the pain she felt in her heart.

"When the battle was taken to the surface world, I knew the forces of darkness would be after our child," Udonna continued, allowing the fear from nineteen years ago to resurface. "Bowen—born of magical blood would have the power and the potential to stop their evil domination."

Daggeron continued, "As I was running through the forest with Bowen, I was attacked by Calindor."

"Give me that child!" Calindor snapped.

"Never!" Daggeron growled in response.

"Dark magic gave Calindor more power than ever. In the end, our magics collided and we both were cursed. As for Bowen, we now know that Phineas found the infant and took him to the safety of the human world."

"So your son is alive?" Madison asked. "Somewhere."

Udonna smiled and replied, "Yes—somewhere."

"Leanbow led the fight and banished the armies of the Darkness to the Underworld," Udonna continued.

"Stay back! Seal the Gate with a spell!" Leanbow yelled to Niella.

"NO!" Niella cried.

"It's the only way!" he insisted.

Niella cried out and used up her life force to seal the Gate, leaving Udonna alone for the first time in her entire life.

"Leanbow and Niella gave their lives to save us all," Udonna finished, her heart throbbing again, bowing her head, a silent grief filling her very being once more.

"Their sacrifice won't be in vain," Xander began.

"They will be remembered," Vida added.

"We'll never stop fighting until there's peace in both worlds," Chip finished as Nick grabbed his head and yelled in pain.

Everyone snapped their full attention to Nick. Nick walked over to the other rangers. "Koragg wants to fight," he informed them.

"We are ready for him," Daggeron added.

"No. Not you, Daggeron. You are to meet with Imperious—to finish off an old battle," Nick informed his teacher.

"This is surely a trap," Udonna murmured, fearing for the lives of these kids who had become like her own.

"We're still going. I think it's time for payback," Madison replied.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for this," Nick declared, leading the rest of the team into Rootcore to get the Mystic Racers.

"As I am," Daggeron said, heading in the opposite direction. Udonna anxiously watched both her "children" and her friend leave her side.

"Alright, Koragg, what do you want?" Nick demanded of the older warrior.

"Your Legend Warrior power," he replied.

"You must be joking," Xander answered, stunned.

"There's no way!" Chip added.

"We'll show you what the Legend Warrior power is for!" Nick snapped.

"Legendary Source! Mystic Force!" the five went from normal ranger form into their Legend Warrior modes.

"Your new magic is strong," Koragg murmured. Drawing his sword, he added, "That is why I must have it."

"Never!" Nick insisted.

"No way!" the four other members of the team added.

They all began battling Koragg.

Meanwhile, Imperious smiled as Daggeron arrived. "Welcome to the Dimension of Wandering Souls," the dark—dishonorable—wizard greeted Solaris Knight.

"With a name like that, how could I stay away? What do you want, Imperious?" Daggeron was quick to cut to the point.

"Only to say I'm sorry," Imperious replied as he shifted into his Ancient Mystic armor. "We were friends once. We can be that again. I was too weak to fight the Master's will. Please… Forgive me."

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Daggeron shot back, "And why should I trust you?"

"I'm so ashamed of what I've become," Imperious continued. "I want to be good again. Fool!" Imperious attacked.

Daggeron struggled to his feet. "I guess this puts a damper on us being friends again."

"You could say that," Imperious replied, demorphing from his Ancient Mystic Mode.

"Once more—for old times' sake?" he offered.

He quickly morphed. "Magical Source! Mystic Force!"

The two battled. "Laser Lamp," Daggeron used Jenji's lamp—which doubled as his main weapon.

He lunged at Imperious and the two continued to fight.

Meanwhile, Koragg told the rangers, "Give me your Legend Warrior power. The Master will grant you a place at his side."

"There's no way," Xander began.

"We only use our magic for good," Vida added.

"That's right," Madison nodded in agreement.

"And we always will," Chip finished.

"Come on Rangers. Code 1! Fire storm!" Nick attacked Koragg, knocking the older warrior off balance.

The battle continued, clearly in the Rangers' favor.

Meanwhile, Imperious knocked Daggeron to the ground. "Dark power," he released a blast of dark magic into Daggeron.

"This is fun," he added, using the dark magic already inside Solaris Knight to injure Daggeron without approaching him.

As Daggeron lay injured, Imperious scoffed and said, "I thought your Leanbow taught you to fight better than that. He was always such a fool. That's why he's gone forever and I'm still here. The teacher is gone and soon his student will be as well. Velorus Melavacardum."

Jenji poked his head out of the lamp. "Uh oh, I know where this is going," he murmured.

"Solar Streak Megazord," Daggeron summoned his own Megazord.

"Remote train car go," he released two miniature versions of the train out of the legs at Imperious, who quickly destroyed them.

"That was just sad," Imperious commented. "Now have a taste of some real power," he attacked Daggeron.

"Hold on tight, Jenji," Daggeron ordered his partner. "Furnace blast!"

"What?" Daggeron and Jenji were stunned as Imperious was not sucked into the furnace like would normally happen.

"That was exactly what I wanted," Imperious commented.

"Oh no, Daggeron, we're losing pressure," Jenji called anxiously.

"He's draining our energy," Daggeron replied.

They flinched and covered their heads as the megazord was destroyed, eventually landing several feet away from each other.

"What have you done?!" Daggeron demanded, having been forced to demorph after being ejected from the megazord.

"I've stolen your megazord power, but it's power is too strong for even me to handle," Imperious explained. "Megaro Zanga Meru Douza," he cast the spell.

"No! That's a forbidden spell!" Daggeron yelled.

"I don't follow your ridiculous rules," Imperious countered.

"This spell will resurrect the souls of all the warriors that Leanbow ever defeated," he explained. "I summon the Chimera!"

"He possesses the strength of all those warriors," Imperious continued. "With his power, will be unstoppable."

Daggeron scowled and snapped, "You wretched beast!"

"It's great to be alive. I'm ready to crush something. Where do we begin? This time we will be victorious," it said.

"Patience. First get rid of that one," Imperious ordered.

Before Daggeron could even morph, the creature knocked his morpher away and sent him flying.

As soon as he was weakened, Imperious revealed more of his plan to the Solaris Knight.

"With this creature that I brought forth, I will take the rangers to the Underworld and use their power to revive the Master. Isn't that a wonderful idea?" he asked.

"I won't let that happen," Daggeron struggled to his feet.

"You won't be around to stop it," Imperious replied. "This is your end. Goodbye old friend."

"Oh, no, Daggeron," Jenji finally recovered enough to help his partner.

As Daggeron collapsed, Jenji flew in, yelling, "Daggeron!"

At Rootcore, Udonna watched the battle between Daggeron and Imperious anxiously. "Daggeron!" she screamed, when the dust cleared and there was no sign of either Daggeron or Jenji.

Meanwhile, Nick ran toward Koragg, ready to destroy the dark knight. Koragg glanced over his shoulder and watched the Chimera burst through a dark seal and send Nick flying.

"What is that?" Vida asked.

"Imperious, you've cast a forbidden spell," Koragg, scowling, murmured as he found himself forced to stand behind the Chimera and watch the battle between the Chimera and the rangers.

"You're all mine, rangers," the Chimera grinned.

"That's one ugly monster," Nick commented. "Come on, rangers. Code 1! Fire storm!"

The attack was blocked—no, was sent back at the rangers—and the teens collapsed to the ground.

Chip glanced at his lion staff and murmured, "That didn't make a dent."

"It looks like we're in trouble," Madison added.

The chimera weakened the rangers as Koragg grumbled. "This isn't the way."

"Be quiet. Send them to the Underworld," it ordered.

Koragg sheathed his sword and replied, "Very well." Holding out a hand, he created a seal and it sucked the rangers downward.

"What's going on?" Nick asked.

"It's a spell!" Madison cried out.

They struggled against the spell, but it was useless. They landed with a thud in the Underworld and were quickly grabbed by Hidiacs and Styxoids.

"Welcome to my humble home, Rangers," Imperious greeted the teens. "If I had known I would be expecting company, I would have tidied up."

"It's really great to see you guys," Leelee commented, joining the group.

"Leelee? They got you too?" Vida asked.

"Don't worry—we'll get you out of this disgusting place," Xander reassured the blonde haired female.

"Thank you," Leelee replied. "I hate it here. It's always damp and disgusting—not to mention getting turned into an insect at everyone's slightest whim."

"Complaining again, daughter?" Necrolai entered the room.

"Daughter?" Chip asked.

"Can we keep them here, Mom?" Leelee asked. "Can we, huh? They have things that zombies down here will never have—like souls."

"Yes," Necrolai replied. "Once their power is gone, you can keep them as your pets for all eternity."

The rangers exchanged fearful glances as Leelee grinned and said, "Sweet."

"They've been gone too long," Udonna murmured, worriedly. "Where are you, rangers?"

The crystal ball turned black. "What does that mean?" Clare asked, joining her aunt.

"They've been taken to the Underworld," Udonna realized. "I've got to help them."

She walked quickly over to the book shelf and grabbed the Book of Dark Spells.

Clare walked over and stared at the spell book. "The Book of Dark Spells?" Clare asked. "But you said no one was allowed to use this book. No one."

"There is no other way," Udonna didn't even look from the book as she continued searching for a spell to get to the Underworld.

"But, Udonna, if you cast a spell from this book, you will lose all of your magic," Clare pressed. "You'd become human or…"

Udonna looked up and glared at Clare. "There is no other way. Now you can help or you can get out of my way," Udonna warned.

She raced against time to create the potion to teleport herself to the Underworld.

"Fluidius Maloria," she chanted softly.

"Here," Clare handed her aunt the ingredients carefully.

Udonna turned and looked at Clare. "I'm ready for the last ingredient, Clare," she stated.

Clare nodded and handed the final ingredient to her aunt.

"So nice of you to bring the gift of your legend power," Imperious smiled wickedly at the captured rangers.

"You're not getting anything from us," Vida replied.

"Oh, it's not for me. It's for the Master," Imperious explained.

The Master roared and the armies all bowed. The rangers flinched, terrified. "That's the thing that Leanbow sacrificed himself to defeat!" Nick yelled, pointing to the Master.

"Leanbow?" Koragg asked.

"That name is not spoken here," Imperious intoned. "Now you will give the Master the power to rise and conquer!" He cast a spell, forcing the rangers' legend warrior power to begin exiting their bodies and entering the Master. The rangers screamed in pain.

"They'll be alright, right?" Leelee asked.

Necrolai nodded.

"They cannot defend themselves," Koragg murmured. "There is no honor in this defeat."

"Stop that foolish babbling," Imperious snapped. "This is our day of victory. This is the end of the Mystic Force!" He laughed evilly.

"How wonderful," he added cruelly as he listened to the rangers' screams of pain. "The Master will soon rise!"

Udonna arrived and pointed her wand at the Master, crying out, "Stop!"

Madison smiled and spat some of her hair out of her mouth, murmuring, "Udonna."

Udonna turned and faced Imperious, a dangerous glare in her eyes. The rangers all agreed—_Udonna was in "Mama Bear" mode and I would not want to be on the receiving end of her anger._

"How touching—the sorceress comes to serve her little rangers," Imperious taunted as he knocked her wand away. "Now you will feel the wrath of the Master."

Udonna cocked her eyebrow, slightly confused and then screamed in pain as the Master's dark magic grabbed her.

"No!" the rangers screamed.

Koragg watched horrified.

Udonna was flung to the ground and writhed in agony, silent screams ripping from her lungs.

Leelee was stunned.

"Behold her destruction," Imperious taunted.

Necrolai grinned and murmured, "Yes."

Koragg flinched as memories assaulted his brain. Then an awful realization hit him—the woman being tortured was his wife! "No!" he roared, launching himself across the room to save his beloved.

"Udonna!" He drew his sword, knocking Imperious to the ground and attacked the Master.

Udonna flopped helplessly on the ground and held her arm over her face.

The mysterious warrior huffed and staggered a few feet away.

Imperious gasped, "It can't be."

"Who is that?" Xander asked. The rangers were freed as Udonna was saved.

The warrior demorphed and stared at the group, a stern expression in his eyes. "Leanbow?" Udonna asked.

Udonna leapt to her feet and ran over to the warrior. "Leanbow, could it really be you?" she asked, flinging herself into his arms. He held her tightly.

He pulled back. "I don't know how to explain, but it's true, I am alive," he smiled at her.

"Well, this is unbelievable," Madison muttered.

"No, this is one of Koragg's tricks," Nick countered, suspicious of the older man.

"Leanbow survived, but not Solaris Knight," Imperious pointed out.

Leanbow and Udonna both glared at Imperious.

Meanwhile, still in the Dimension of Wandering Souls, Jenji emerged from the sand and sneezed up Daggeron. "Thanks, Jenji," Daggeron commented.

"The things I do for this job. I mean, really?" Jenji complained.

"I know, but trust me, that was a lot more unpleasant for me than it was for you," Daggeron pointed out.

"That's probably true, but what are we gonna do?" Jenji replied.

"We've got to find the rangers," Daggeron explained. "I'm afraid this whole thing is all part of Imperious's evil plan."

Jenji nodded and said, "I agree. Now, let's get out of here. This place just gives me the creeps."

"I thought that cats liked sand," Daggeron countered.

"Ha, ha, don't be such a wise guy," Jenji answered. "Now how are we going to find the rangers?"

"With the help of an old friend," Daggeron replied.

"Now to finish what I started," Imperious attacked the group.

Leanbow, having already yanked Udonna behind him, blocked Imperious's attack and sent it back at the traitor. "Uthe Zazure," he chanted, teleporting the group to safety.

The rangers, meanwhile, prepared for combat as Leanbow countered Imperious's attack. After the rangers left, Leelee huffed and said, "You just don't want me to have my own friends, do you?" She then dramatically stormed out of the main chamber of the Underworld in a bit of a rage.

"We'll be safe in this dimension for a while," Leanbow murmured, walking away from the group.

"OK, am I the only one confused by this?" Xander asked.

"I'm a little mixed up myself," Vida admitted, joining Xander.

"Let me get this straight," Chip asked. "Leanbow was Koragg and Koragg was Leanbow and one of them or both of them just saved our lives?"

Nick held up his hand. "Wait a minute guys. This is the same guy who's been trying to toast us for months. How can we trust that's it's really Leanbow?"

Leanbow crossed his arms over his chest and replied, "You're right. I don't blame you for not trusting me."

Udonna stepped forward and said, "I trust you. I know it's you. What happened?"

Leanbow sighed and walked over to a rock, saying, "My tale is so incredible I almost don't believe it myself."

The rangers all gathered and sat on the rocks, with the exception of Nick who chose to remain standing. "It happened during the last battle of the Great War," Leanbow began.

Udonna frowned and glanced at the ground. "You closed the Gates to the Underworld and we all thought you were gone forever," she murmured.

"Yes, but that's where the story just begins," Leanbow stated. "My plan had worked and the Master was sinking down into the depths. But he used the last of his dark magic to take me with him and turn me into Koragg the Knight Wolf, his most obedient soldier. I had no memory of my previous life. Everything I did was for the Master."

Chip stated, "But you remember now."

"It must—have been the virus that infected my titan mode—it began to break the memory spell," Leanbow stated, thinking over what he had done in the past few days that could cause him to remember his past—which was pretty good—up until he was turned into Koragg.

"Then you must remember how times you tried to destroy us," Nick accused. "And even Udonna, your own wife! You almost destroyed her and then stole her Snow Staff! Is any of this ringing any bells?"

Leanbow looked ashamed and guilty as he firmly answered, "Yes, I remember all of it. If there's any way that you—all of you—could possibly forgive me…"

Most of the rangers shook their heads no. Udonna took a step forward and said, "Of course, I…"

She collapsed to the ground. The rangers leapt to their feet and helped their mentor to her feet. Leanbow ran over. "Udonna! You're injured," he stated, feeling very worried about his wife.

Udonna took a deep breath and confessed, "I used the Book of Dark Magic to get to the Underworld. I'm afraid I'm as vulnerable as any human now."

Leanbow frowned and shook his head, clearly displeased at what he was hearing. "You shouldn't have done that," he scolded her gently.

There was an explosion and the teens all snapped their heads up to look at the ridge. Leanbow glanced over his shoulder and saw Imperious, Necrolai, and the Chimera.

"Imperious has found us," he stated, cradling his wife gently. "I'm sending you back to Rootcore."

Udonna whimpered and, almost in tears, begged, "Oh no. No, I don't want to lose you again."

"You're in no condition to fight," Leanbow insisted—this wasn't the first time he hadn't permitted her to fight. During the Great War, he kept her as well hidden as he possibly could so that she could care for their son for as long as possible, despite the fact that he secretly trained her in some basic self-defense, and the fact that she was a mother, not a warrior—which was an advantage to his first plan to keep his son and wife hidden away from the Darkness and although Niella was a mother, she was the Gatekeeper, and since there was only one at a time, her daughter was safe, while his son was not and who better to protect a child than its mother?

"For once we agree," Nick commented. "Send her."

Immediately afterward, Leanbow teleported Udonna to Rootcore. Udonna called, "Clare," before she collapsed onto the floor.

"Udonna!" Clare sprinted over to her aunt and helped her over to the couch.

The dust cleared in the other dimension. "There you are," Imperious smirked.

"Get them, Chimera," he ordered.

"My pleasure," the Chimera replied rushing toward the group.

"Ready yourselves," Leanbow ordered—he had been the original Red Mystic and therefore had some seniority over the team, whether they liked it or not.

In the Underworld, the Master opened his remaining eye. Leanbow yelled in agony and stumbled away from the group, clutching his head. He sank to his knees, back in his Ancient Mystic Mode Armor, crying out, "NO!"

The rangers drew their morphers. "Ready?" Nick asked.

"Ready!" the others answered.

"Magical Source! Mystic Force!" They morphed and began battling the Chimera.

"I always knew you couldn't be trusted," Necrolai taunted Leanbow. "Come. You have an appointment with the Master."

"No!" Xander yelled.

"Stop! Leanbow!" Madison yelled.

"We don't need him anyway," Nick declared stubbornly.

Turning his attention back to the Chimera, he insisted, "We'll beat you ourselves. Power of the Phoenix!"

He was knocked away and collapsed to the ground. The others ran over to help him to his feet. "Come on! Get up!" Xander said.

The team struggled as a group to get to their feet and when Daggeron arrived on a unicorn and used his laser lamp against the Chimera.

"Now what?" Imperious snapped, aggravated.

He saw Daggeron and said, "But I destroyed you!"

Chip walked over to the unicorn and murmured, "Cool!"

Daggeron jumped off the unicorn and said, "Rangers, the unicorn's name is Brightstar. She can travel through all dimensions. If you run into trouble, she can combine with your Megazord. Now hurry."

He raced over and created a shield against Imperious's attack. Brightstar's horn glowed as she helped to strengthen Daggeron's shield.

"You won't get away," Imperious snapped. "Chimera!"

The Chimera disappeared and the dark clouds—that usually represented that dark magic was being used in the area—disappeared as well.

"What a pest you are," Imperious muttered.

Daggeron scowled and countered, "And you're a disgrace to Leanbow's teachings and his memory."

"Fine, then if you're still Leanbow's good little student, let's settle things his way," Imperious offered. "I challenge you to a bound-battle. Only this time, it won't be training. It will be the real thing."

"Challenge accepted," Daggeron nodded his head in acceptance.

Meanwhile, Necrolai dragged Leanbow by the arm back to the Master. "I have brought him back as you ordered, Master," she stated, flinging Leanbow before the Master. "The one who _dared_ betray you."

"_I am no longer your puppet_," Leanbow snapped at the Master, who responded by once again using his dark magic to turn Leanbow back into Koragg.

Koragg sank to his knees and asked, "What is your bidding, Master?"

Necrolai cackled and said, "Welcome back, Koragg."

Meanwhile, in another dimension—that looked like a giant chessboard without any chess pieces on it—Daggeron and Imperious stepped forward for their final bound-battle.

"Tada," Jenji popped out of his lamp. "It's Jenji. Now, let's go over the rules. Remember swords only. No other weapons or magic."

"Agreed," Daggeron stated.

"But of course," Imperious added.

"Good. Prepare for battle," Jenji ordered.

"Ancient Mystic Mode," Daggeron morphed into his Ancient Mystic Mode armor.

"Ancient Mystic Mode," Imperious—who still had his Ancient Mystic Mode from when he was Calindor—morphed.

"Alright, let's get you chained up," Jenji murmured. "Bring out the chains." He snapped his fingers and the chain appeared.

"In this corner, the noble Daggeron, and in this corner, the traitor known as Calindor aka Imperious," Jenji introduced the two contestants to some unknown audience. "Let the bound-battle begin!"

The two began battling it. Jenji commented, "This is bound-battle at its best."

Nick looked thoughtfully at the ground and began, "I can't believe Leanbow…"

There were snapping and crunching sounds and everyone glanced up to see that the Chimera had become a giant Chimera.

He sheathed his sword and ran over to Brightstar, swiftly mounting the unicorn. "I got this one!" he yelled.

"Nick, wait!" Madison screamed at her not-secret-to-everyone-else-but-still-secret-to-the-guy crush.

"We can't use the Manticore," he responded. "But I can still make a Megazord."

The others exchanged glances—he'd forgotten about the titan megazord.

He rode swiftly and combined with Brightstar. "Phoenix Unizord," he called.

The others pulled out their morphers and declared, "Mystic Titans! Dragon Formation!"

In dragon form, the four other rangers swooped toward the Chimera. "Over here!" Madison and Vida called, before blasting the Chimera with three rows of fire.

The hand—that was a mouth—grabbed onto the dragon's mouth and swung it into Nick and let it go, only to blast the five rangers.

The other four were forced to demorph. They watched the battle.

"This one is as stubborn as Leanbow. Let's take our revenge on him! Yeah! Crush him!" the Chimera's many heads said.

"I'm nothing like him," Nick snapped, before charging the Chimera.

He was knocked to the ground. Koragg scowled. "Get up and fight," he ordered the younger warrior.

Meanwhile, at Rootcore, Clare, carrying a small bowl of water and a clean cloth, watched as Udonna, in a fever, began to stir. "Leanbow," she moaned, stumbling over to the crystal ball.

"Udonna, please, you need to rest," Clare begged her aunt to lay down again.

She stared in horror. "On your feet," Koragg ordered the red ranger.

"No," she sobbed out. "They've turned him back to Koragg."

She fainted again and Clare carefully moved her aunt back to the couch, as the fever increased and wracked her body.

Nick looked up at Koragg and scowled. "Koragg—I knew you were lying," he accused the knight.

"Let this be our last fight," he told the red ranger.

"Fine, but after I finish off this freak," Nick replied, turning his attention to the Chimera.

"Never!" the Chimera screamed, blasting a powerful beam of magic at Nick.

Nick blocked it and managed to break through it. "Final strike!" he destroyed the Chimera instantly.

"Oh yeah!" he grinned. He then went after Koragg.

Meanwhile, Daggeron nearly had Imperious beaten when the dark wizard suddenly cheated. "No!" Daggeron yelled, when he saw his own Solaris Laser Lamp being used against him.

"Hey, you cheated," Jenji snapped at the other warrior.

"Of course I did," Imperious replied.

He stood up and demorphed. "Do you think I care about fighting with honor? Honor is for fools like you and Leanbow," he told Daggeron.

"You've learned nothing from him," Daggeron accused. "I'd rather die with honor than live without it."

"So be it," Imperious again attempted to destroy Daggeron.

Daggeron felt the magic go through him and he looked at his sword. He attacked, destroying the beam of dark magic. He then destroyed Imperious. "You have defeated me, Daggeron, but with my destruction a terror will be unleashed—one that you cannot even imagine," the dark wizard predicted, cackling as he turned to leave and, as he walked away, became dust.

In the Underworld, Necrolai pressed her hands together happily and declared, "The Legend Warrior power worked! The Master is rising!"

Koragg and Nick battled fiercely and the force from one of their attacks forced the two out of their titan modes and into their normal ranger modes.

"This isn't over," Koragg told Nick.

"Whatever you say, Koragg," Nick replied, charging the knight.

The two battled and Koragg demanded, "Is that the best you've got?"

"Hardly," Nick replied, attacking again.

"They're a pretty even match," Vida commented. She, along with the rest of the team was anxiously watching the battle between Nick and Koragg.

"It's like they can anticipate each other's moves," Xander added as Nick was knocked to the ground by Koragg.

As the two battled, Nick was sent flying and landed on his back, and his sword landed a few feet away.

"You don't stand a chance without your sword. Now pick it up. I won't fight an unarmed opponent," Koragg stated.

"You got it," Nick replied, running to get his sword.

He grabbed and whirled to face the dark knight.

"You're too angry," Koragg stated. "You must learn to control your emotions."

"There were so many times that you could have destroyed us and you didn't," Nick accused. "TELL ME WHY!"

"I know why," Madison stated. "Because there is a part of him that's still good."

"A part that's still Leanbow," Xander finished.

Koragg glanced at the rangers and then turned his attention back to the red ranger.

Meanwhile, at Rootcore, Udonna's fever seemed to worsen despite Clare's efforts.

She clutched at the pillow and tossed her head back and forth, moaning, "The Master has control over Leanbow again. Either my husband will destroy the rangers or they will destroy him. All is truly lost."

"Don't talk like that," Clare scolded her aunt. "You're the one who said that if you believe in magic than anything is possible."

"But my magic is gone," Udonna pointed out sadly.

"You may not be a sorceress anymore, but you will always be magical," Clare replied, covering her aunt with a blanket she had found in Nick's backpack.

Udonna feverishly stroked the blanket and a memory hit her—of holding her son. She sat up and held the blanket. "This blanket—where did you get it?" she demanded of Clare.

"From Nick's backpack," Clare answered. "I'm sure he won't mind if we borrow it."

Udonna grinned and leapt to her feet and raced for the entrance. "Wait! Where are you going?" Clare called after her aunt.

"I do believe. I believe in magic," Udonna responded, smiling.

Clare grinned.

Meanwhile, Koragg looked at Nick and said, "Leanbow exists only in memory. I am Koragg now and forever. Wolf Attack!"

Nick was forced to demorph and landed on the ground. He propped himself up on one arm and watched as Koragg stepped toward him. "You have fought with honor, but now the battle is done. Since you've been a worthy opponent, I shall grant you a swift end," Koragg stated, pointing his sword to Nick's neck.

Lifting it over his head, he fully intended to bring it down and behead the teen.

The rangers ran forward, calling, "Nick!"

Udonna arrived and yelled, "Leanbow! Stop! Don't do it!"

He turned and glanced at Udonna, huffing. She ran over and grabbed his sword and yanked it down. Staring at Nick, she smiled and said, "This is Bowen. Your child."

She smiled at her husband and finished, "Our child."

Koragg stared at her and asked, "WHAT?!"

Meanwhile, Nick asked, "What are you saying?"

Koragg sheathed his sword and hesitantly brushed his hand along Nick's jaw. "My—my son?" he asked, stunned.

Nick turned to Udonna, who smiled. "You were with me all along and I never knew. It's truly magical," she told the teen.

Koragg became Leanbow again and Chip commented, "And I thought my family reunions were weird."

Leanbow walked over and stood behind his wife, watching their son's reaction. "I knew there was a reason you came to Briarwood," Udonna told the teen. "It was to fulfill your destiny—the greatest wizard of them all," Udonna explained.

Madison and Vida exchanged glances and grinned. Nick walked toward his parents—these were them—the people he'd always dreamed about—his real parents—the ones he'd told Koragg—wait, his father—did want him and that he was also supposed to track down.

"It'll take some getting used to," Nick admitted.

Udonna smiled and Leanbow murmured, "Yes, we want you back and you can stop moping over not knowing who we are."

"What are you talking about?" Udonna demanded, looking first at her husband and then at her son.

"Do you want to tell her or do you want me to?" Leanbow asked his son.

Nick nodded to Leanbow. "Long story short, apparently our son has spent the past nineteen years in foster care. None of the families considered adopting him, instead choosing to get rid of him, so that they could have a child of their own. He feels safe with us—that we won't replace him with a child of our own—because he _is_ our child, and not knowing made his thoughts really depressing," Leanbow explained.

Udonna looked at her son, a flash of pain in her eyes.

The ground shook and Nick pulled his mother back. Leanbow whirled and stared as the Master rose. "Come on, Rangers," Vida ordered.

Madison nodded in agreement and the teens began attempting to pull out their morphers and Leanbow cast a spell and snapped, "NO!"

Then, turning his head, he told them, "This is my battle. I must finish what I started."

Stepping forward, he called, "Ancient Mystic Mode!"

Nick froze and then surging against the spell, yelled, "NO!"

Udonna tightened her grip on Nick's baby blanket and screamed, "Leanbow! Don't!"

"You can't!" Vida yelled after Leanbow.

Nick fell silent—too stunned by what he was seeing.

"Back to the depths, foul beast!" Leanbow snapped, smashing his shield into one of the tentacles and jumping into the air.

"Leanbow!" Udonna screamed again.

"Don't!" Vida screamed.

One of the other rangers yelled something as well, but Nick was too scared—shocked, really—by what was happening. All he knew was Leanbow was leaving him and his mother again.

Necrolai emerged from where she had hidden during the rockslide that had begun when the Master began to rise and cried out, "NO! It can't be!" when she saw Leanbow in his Ancient Mystic armor.

"HA!" This time, Leanbow was prepared for the Master's attack and grunted with effort as he blocked the Master's attack with his shield.

After the Master was done attacking, he threw the shield aside. Thrusting his sword into the air, he declared, "This time, honor will prevail. I summon the power of good magic. Mystic Force Fire Strike."

As the Master sank back into the depths, Necrolai cried in pain, and most of the Master's armies were destroyed. Leanbow called to the rangers. "Power Rangers. Carry on my legacy."

The ground seemed to completely collapse in and the spell Leanbow cast on them was lifted.

Udonna stepped forward, stunned and grief-stricken. Nick stared at his mother.

The rangers got their Legend Warrior powers back and, grinning, Xander said, "Our Legend Warrior power—it's back."

"But Leanbow's gone," Udonna stated, saddened. Nick stepped over and comfortingly placed his hand on her shoulder. She smiled sadly at her son.

Daggeron returned and Udonna blinked a few times. Then she smiled and motioned to Nick and said a few things to Daggeron.

The rangers looked at each other and Chip asked, "Nick, any idea on what she's saying?"

He shrugged and said, "Probably something about me being Bowen."

They nodded and the group boarded Solar Streak to get back to the Mystic Forest. After arriving, Madison, Vida, Xander, and Chip all returned to the Rock Porium, while Nick stayed behind at Rootcore.

As they arrived, Udonna asked, "Bowen, could you clean up Rootcore?"

"Imperious may be gone, but his departure is just the beginning of our journey," Daggeron said, as he sat next to the red ranger. "Your father said many times…"

"Whoa," Nick held up his hands. "You're telling me this like I care about him. Please. He may have been my father, but I just spent the past few months stopping him from destroying the world," Nick pointed out.

"And the world would have been destroyed if you hadn't stopped him," Daggeron added.

"And you can tell him…" Nick broke off his statement as Udonna entered the room, a book in her hands.

"That's what I like to see—everyone happy and enjoying the day," she smiled.

She glanced around the room and frowned. "But, Bowen, didn't I ask you to clean this place up?"

Nick grinned and glanced at Daggeron. "This is just great. I finally find my real mom and two seconds later, I'm getting chores," he mock complained.

Udonna smiled and responded, "Yes, you are."

She added, "I want this place clean when your father comes home."

Daggeron backed away and said, "I think I'll go feed Fireheart."

Nick watched Daggeron leave and then turned back to his mother. "Mom?" he asked, uncertain. He never called anyone Mom before, so this was new for him.

Udonna turned and smiled at her son. "Leanbow's not coming home," Nick told her.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course he is," Udonna told her son, silently adding to herself, even if I have to drag him back, he _will_ come home.

Nick stared at the floor, silently questioning his mother's sanity. "No, I have not lost my senses," Udonna smiled.

"If you'd asked me yesterday, I would have given you a different answer. Yesterday, I thought both you and Leanbow were lost forever. But I'd forgotten that magic works in many ways. Not just waving a wand, but also in ways of the heart. So, yes, I don't know how—or when—but Leanbow will be coming home," Udonna finished explaining.

Nick grinned up at her. "Now clean up this room," she ordered sternly.

Nick nodded and set off to do his chores. Udonna smiled after her son.


	8. Reactions

_Nick's POV_

As I did my chores, or basically all I really had to do was just clean up Rootcore for when Leanbow—hopefully soon—eventually came home, I grinned to myself. I was finally home. I had a mom—a real mom. In fact, for the past few months—ever since this adventure began, Udonna had been the most real mom-like person I'd ever met. After battles, she'd go out of her way to make sure we were OK and help bandage any cuts or scrapes or teach us healing spells that we could use, based on our powers. She made sure we were OK and did what she could to help us when we were having problems—even if they didn't involve magic. She helped see things through our parents' eyes and just did what she could to keep us safe. I mean—she even gave up her powers just to rescue us from the Underworld, because that's what a mom does. She protects her children—even if it she has to die to keep them safe. She was always looking out for us and doing her best to keep us safe and happy and healthy and to help us through difficult situations and talking over adventures we'd had—like when I came back, riding Catastros—we talked about that and she helped me see it in a different perspective. And I can tell her stuff—like what I'm afraid of—I was afraid of Catastros—but I conquered my fear and rode the great horse and helped save my friends, thanks to Chip who reversed the spell Koragg used to send Catastros and me to the Underworld. I can just be a normal kid around her and she already had been treating me and the rest of the team like her children—hopefully that won't change too much—maybe it'll get better—and I'll be able to just be a kid when I need to and I'll still be able to talk to her when I need advice or when I need my mom. She would sit and talk with us about any problems we might be having, especially if it was something the others couldn't talk about with parents—or if it was something that I couldn't talk about with Mr. and Mrs. Lennox. If the others got into fights with their parents, she would sit and talk to them and help them see the situation through their parents' eyes. I'd actually had almost wished that she really _was_ my mother. I wanted her to be my mother. She seemed like the perfect person to be a mother, not including the fact that she raised Clare on her own, as if her niece was her own daughter. I actually got a little jealous of her "we have no clue where he is but he is alive somewhere in the human realm and we don't want you to go looking for him until after we have defeated the Darkness, so don't even think about it rangers until after we have defeated the Darkness, do I make myself perfectly clear?" son, Bowen, until I learned that it was me. Then I was fine with him—since it'd be weird and a bit strange to be jealous, of, well, of yourself—not to mention I don't think I could pull it off unless I really wanted to, but I didn't—it wasn't fair to him or me. Just because Bowen—I mean I—got the world's best mother doesn't mean that I should have to be jealous of him because of that even though I really was. The way I saw it, anyone would be lucky to have Udonna as a parent.

I felt pretty lucky because I was getting the most real mom-like adult I had interacted with—well, since I was given up for an adoption that never happened—I mean that had to have been what Mom and Leanbow had wanted for me—they wanted to raise me, but they couldn't, so they gave me up for adoption in the hopes that a loving family would raise me as one of their own. It made a lot of sense if you thought about it and it was sort of also what I had begun to want, as I kept changing families and towns—no, I just really wanted a place I could call home, where I was wanted because I was me. I finally found that—here, at Rootcore—in my family—Udonna, Clare, and Leanbow. I had people who loved me because I was me—I was a part of this family, magic included. It is great. I have a place to come to and people who will make sure I'm OK and help me when I need and protect me and love me for me—I finally have a real family.

Then there was the ironic part about Koragg/Leanbow—he had actually offered to track down my parents, unaware that he was tracking down Udonna and himself. And then there's the fact that Udonna succeeded in identifying my parents, when he couldn't. Maybe I should have just asked her in the first place, instead of complaining to Koragg, but then again he did come and annoy me, so it was his own fault that I somehow managed to convince him to track my birth parents—I still have no clue how I pulled that one off or how I did that. Although, right now I think I'll leave that mystery for another day—unless my thoughts really were as depressing as he said they were—but why would he care? Could it be that he somehow knew we were related and had been lying to me to protect me from the pain of knowing that I was fighting my father? Or maybe he really had no clue, because I didn't give him any indication that I had anything that could be used to help me find my birth parents.

I guess hanging on to that old baby blanket was a good idea in the long run. If Udonna hadn't recognized it, I'd be dead, Leanbow would feel intensely guilty—and probably use the power of the phoenix to revive me—and then I'd learn who my parents were—finally. And Leanbow would probably still feel guilty—because he just sort of accidentally killed his own son because the Master told him to do it. And if Clare hadn't given it to Udonna, eventually, I would have asked her about it, before going to face Koragg during that battle that took us to the Underworld. I had even gotten a cousin in Clare out of the deal. She might be a bit clumsy and bumbling and slightly incompetent—her words, not mine—but she's still family.

I wouldn't trade a single member of my family for anything. Although, and I'm pretty sure everyone else in the family would agree, I could live without Leanbow being turned into Koragg. If I had my way, his plan would have worked, and then he would have escaped the pit somehow, rejoined Udonna, and helped her raise Clare. Then with their help, I would have found out that they were my parents and we'd be a happy family—like we were twenty years ago. Although I don't think we still can—we might be able—Leanbow and Mom can, but I'm not sure about me. I don't like my father, but I miss him—I miss him a lot. Not that I'll ever admit that to Mom or anyone else—not even my friends. I had more family than I had imagined, and it was better than I had ever hoped or had dared to dream.

I hoped Mom was right about Leanbow coming home, because seriously the Master's return had broken up a rather nice—even though Chip was right about it being weird—and I will admit it was a little awkward but that was because if you think about it, technically the three of us hadn't seen each other in nineteen years—as a family, I mean—for the past nineteen years, Leanbow was trapped as Koragg in the Underworld, I was in foster care, and Udonna was raising Clare for Niella, who died in an effort to help Leanbow seal the Gate and keep me safe—family reunion between the three of us. Plus, now that I think about it, it wasn't really complete—Clare was missing. She's part of this family and if she was there, then the reunion would have been complete. And apparently, she was thrilled when Mom had her epiphany about me being Bowen and Mom running off to stop me and Dad from killing each other. Oh, well, but when Leanbow finally—eventually—comes home, hopefully for good, we'll have another family reunion then. And this next time, everyone will be there, including Clare.


	9. Family Time

That night, Nick sat up with Udonna, talking—about his "childhood". They also worked out their shared family tree.

"Are you done cleaning, Bowen?" Udonna asked her son.

Nick nodded and said, "Yes, Mom."

Udonna smiled and said, "Come with me, Bowen. I have something to show you."

He nodded and carefully put the broom away. He then followed Udonna to her room. He blinked when he noticed the small cradle and the baby toys. Was all of this—his?

"Was all of this…?" he asked.

Udonna nodded and said, "Yes, this was your cradle. And those were your toys."

Nick spotted a rattle-like toy and quickly picked it up and shook it. Udonna laughed. He blinked and she explained, "That was always your favorite toy. After your father made it for you, you refused to play with anything else—just as you refused to take any naps unless you had _your_ blanket—unless you didn't have a choice."

Setting the rattle aside, Nick looked up at her and murmured, "I was pretty stubborn, wasn't I?"

Udonna smiled and, stroking his cheek, replied, "You are so much like your father, Bowen."

Nick nodded and then asked, "What are those?"

She glanced at the parchments. "Old pictures—from when…" she trailed off.

"Our family was whole?" he asked, reaching for them carefully.

She nodded. He unrolled the first and saw four people. "Mom, is this all of us?" he asked, sheepishly.

She smiled and said, "This is our family before you or Clare were born. It was that afternoon that Niella informed her significant other of her pregnancy with Clare."

She motioned to each person and said, "Those two are me and Leanbow. That's Niella."

He blinked and asked, "Why does the fourth person look like Calindor?"

"That is Calindor," Udonna answered shakily.

"Calindor is Clare's father?" Nick asked uncertainly.

Udonna nodded. "Don't tell her—she has enough issues with him—we don't need to add the fact that her mother and father fought on opposite sides," Udonna murmured.

Nick stared up at her and muttered, "He may have been her father, but that doesn't make him my uncle."

"Why not? He is your cousin's father. A cousin's father usually is an uncle or some degree of uncle. He should, therefore, technically, be your uncle," Udonna countered.

"He chose to betray us—to betray _his_ family," Nick added. "And did you forget, he tried to _kill_ me!"

"Technically, he wasn't really part of our family," Udonna murmured in a soft voice. "Later, that afternoon, in fact, he left Niella, forcing Leanbow and myself to support her."

Nick's eyes widened. Then he whispered, "So you were the natural choice—not just because you were her aunt, because you helped care for her anyway."

Udonna nodded as she rubbed Nick's shoulder and they went through the other pictures.

After they finished, Udonna led Nick to his new room. The two sat on the bed and Udonna asked, "Do you want to tell me about your childhood, Bowen?"

"It wasn't much of a childhood," Nick responded.

She sighed and he began, "I think I liked living with you and Leanbow best."

Udonna smiled and pulled Nick into her arms. "Bowen, Leanbow and I never meant for you to be put into foster care—we'd wanted what was best for you," she murmured.

Nick nodded and said, "When I was little, I used to tell my "siblings"—they were sometimes reunited with their parents or their parents would come and visit—that someday, you and Leanbow—or maybe one of you—would come and get me and we'd go home together and I'd have my family again."

Udonna smiled and murmured, "I'm glad you at least had that idea. When I learned you were alive, I planned—after defeating the Darkness—to search for you, using the old pictures and that technology in the human world that lets you see how you look after so much time."

Nick mumbled, "That's not always accurate."

She nodded and said, "But there was also the fact that I _knew_ you were supposed to look like your father, so I would have used one of them for a comparison of the older version of you."

Nick smiled up at her and she stood up. Holding out her hand, she asked, "Don't you have a school project to work on?"

Nick grinned and followed her downstairs. "Mom, will you help me?" he asked.

She smiled and said, "Yes, I'll help you, Bowen."

The two sat at the table and Udonna murmured, "We'll work backwards."

He nodded and starting at the bottom of the page, wrote two names—Bowen and Clare. Under Bowen, he wrote down Nick, drawing an arrow pointing up to show that Nick and Bowen were the same person. Then above that he wrote three more names, Udonna to the left of Bowen and Leanbow on the right, and Niella just right of Udonna's name. Drawing a horizontal line, he connected Udonna and Leanbow's names and then drew a vertical line straight to his name.

"Mom, what about Clare?" he asked, uncertain.

She nodded and whispered, "Include Calindor—only the other rangers will know who he is—but you must swear them to secrecy."

He nodded obediently and soon the two most recent generations were completed. Nick carefully marked down that Calindor was deceased and marked down today's date. Then he glanced at Niella's name and asked, "Mom, when did Auntie Niella die?"

"Twenty years ago," she replied.

"I mean, what was the date?" Nick asked.

Udonna shrugged and said, "We measure more by years than by days, Bowen," she explained. "We didn't keep as careful track—unless it was a birthday."

Nick nodded and marked deceased, twenty years ago, exact date unknown.

Nick and Udonna went back only five generations—to Nick's great-great-grandparents. Each time, as the generations got further from him and Clare, Nick wrote down deceased, the years they had been gone, and exact date unknown.

After they finished, Udonna sent Nick to bed. "But Mom, I still have to do the paper on the family hero…" Nick protested.

"Bowen, you need your rest, now run along and get into bed," Udonna told him. "You can work on your paper tomorrow morning."

Nick nodded and trotted into bed. Udonna carefully tucked the blankets around him and murmured, "Sleep well, Bowen. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom," Nick mumbled, drifting off to sleep.

Udonna slipped the family tree into Nick's backpack and then crept to her room and slipped into bed, a smile on her face for the first time in years.


	10. Author's Note 2

**_A/N. Hey guys, thanks for all the votes so far. We're halfway done. Just 50 more votes and you'll learn who gets sacrificed to Max's wrath. So be sure to vote.  
_**


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